Arc welding



June 25, 1946. gTRlNGHAM 2,402,938

ARC WELDING Original Filed July 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wx-wwwxmv 2o INVENTOR. LEONIDAS K. STRINGHAM M KMAJNQOL ATTORNEYS June 1946- K. STRINGHAM 2,402,938

ARC WELDING Original Filed Jul "l5, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LEONIDAS K.STRINGHAM Miw/MMQ ATTORNEYS Patented June 25, 1946 ARC WELDING Leonidas K. Strlngham, University Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Lincoln Electric Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application July 13, 1943, Serial No. 494,454. Divided and this application March 17, 1944, Serial No. 526,935

Claims. 1

The present improvements, relating as indicated to arc welding, have more particular regard to arc welding in which a metallic weld-rod is used in conjunction with a layer of flux deposited alongthe line to be welded. Still more particularly said improvements have regard to a system or method of arc welding in which weld-rod or wire is designed to be fed continuously to the work.

Apparatus designed for operation in the last mentioned manner necessarily requires close correlation between the rate at which the arc is.

traversed relatively to the work and the rate ,at which the weld-rod is fed to the work; and, so far as I am aware, such mode of operation has heretofore only been found practicable in socalled automatic types of welders, in which there is lacking the flexibility provided by so-called hand welding, as where a weld-rod carried in a suitable holder is manipulated. by the operator. A serious objection to such hand welding is of course the limitation imposed on the length of the weld-rod which can be utilized and the necessity for replenishing such weld-rod at intervals,

together with the loss of material represented by the unused remnants of the weld-rods.

Further difficulty is encountered where a deep layer of flux is laid on the work along the seam or line to be welded, since in such case the arc is concealed from view, or submerged. In automatic welding through such a deep flux layer, it has heretofore been the practice to deposit the flux as a continuously maintained mass which rests on the surface of the work, and is then scraped oil? and shaped, as the operation proceeds, to form a so-called windrow of predetermined contour and dimensions. Such procedure is obviously impractical, when the welding device is freely manipulated by the operator, instead of being automatically moved relatively to the work at a predetermined rate of speed.

I have discovered that, particularly where the welding operation is thus carried on through a deep layer of flux, the rate of deposit of such flux may be made the basis for regulating the rate of welding, i. e. the rate at which the weldrod end is caused to traverse the line to be welded. I have further discovered that where in addition to thus regulating the traversing movement of the weld-rod and provision is made for automatically feeding the weld-rod toward the work so as to maintain the arc length constant, practically all Of the advantages of automatic machine welding are obtainable in hand welding,

2 with the added advantage of flexibility oi operation inherent in the latter.

One principal object of the present invention accordingly is to provide a method and apparatus for manual arc welding in which the rate of the traversing movement of the weld-rod end may be readily and accurately correlated with the rate at which a layer of flux is deposited along the line to be welded, it being noted that the present application is a division of my pending application filed July 13, 1943, Serial No. 494,454, as well as a continuation-in-part of my pending application filed April 22, 1942, Serial No. 440,021.

' A further object of the invention is to enable,

arc welding to be carried out manually through a deep layer of flux disposed along the line to be welded.

Other, more specific, objects of the invention are to provide improved means for feeding flux to the work simultaneously with the feeding of the weld-rod or wire; to provide for such feeding of the flux in substantially unconfined or free falling condition, so that time becomes a factor in determining the thickness, or depth, of the deposited layer; and to provide for the automatic stopping of such flux feed, whenever the Welding operation is stopped.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means and one mode of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation more or less diagrammatic in character of one form of apparatus embodying my present improvements and adapted to carry out my improved process of arc welding;

Fig, 1a is a transverse section on line aa Fig. 1; and

Fig. 2 represents diagrammatically an arrangement of arc welding and contro1 circuits for carrying out my improved method.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrative form of apparatus there shown is intended to constitute a self-contained portable welding unit which may be readily moved as a whole from one part of a shop or plant to another. In addition, such apparatus includes means for movably and flexibly supporting what may be termed a welding tool so that the latter may be employed in a welding operation anywhere within a considerable area withou moving the apparatus as a whole. As previously indicated, the aparatus includes means not only for feeding an indefinite length of weldrod or wire to the point where the welding operation is being carried out, but also for simultaneously supplying a granular fiuxing material which may be deposited as a deep layer along the line being welded. Associated with the foregoing are various control means some of which are manual and others automatic. In particular, the feeding of the weld-rod toward the work is automatically effected in accordance with the voltage across the are so as to maintain the arc length constant even though the operator does not maintain a constant distance between the work and the welding tool or electrode holder.

In such illustrative form of apparatus the several component mechanisms are mounted on a truck body or wheeled support I, provided with a handle 2 or equivalent means whereby the support may be moved about from place to place on the shop floor. However, it will be understood that said support will be stationary when a welding operation is in progress, i. e. the support will at least not ordinarily be moved during such operation.

Mounted on the support adjacent its one end is a control generator 3, the interconnection of which with the welding and other circuits involved is shown in Fig, 2, presently to be described. Accordingly, save for the main conductor 4 whereby the welding current is conducted to the portable welding tool or electrode holder, all wiring is omitted from Fig. l.

Mounted on support adjacent its other end is a vertical post or column -5 which is rotatable about a vertical axis provided by a suitable bearing mounting B and which is provided with means such as a disk or polygonal plate 1 secured to its lower end and having edge contact with a fiat spring 8 on support I, whereby said post may be held in any one of a plurality of rotative positions about its axis.

The upper end of the post terminates in a U- shaped bracket 9 between the arms of which is mounted for oscillatory movement in a vertical plane a horizontally extending arm ID. The latter is preferably in the form of a tube within which is disposed a screw I by rotation of which granular fluxing material supplied to the tubular arm may be conveyed from the end thereof adjacent the post to its outer end.

Such material is thus supplied to tubular arm II] from a hopper l2, the lower V-shaped portion of which is firmly connected to tubular arm l and has a slotted opening which communicates with the interior of the latter. This hopper further serves as the means of pivotal connection between the arm and bracket 9, the hopper being connected with the latter through aligned pivotal bearings H in the upper ends of the arms of said bracket. Connected with the short end of the arm which projects beyond hopper I4 is a counterweight l preferably in the form of a receptacle in which sand or the like may be placed so as to closel balance the oppositely extending longer portion of the arm together with the mechanism carried by the latter. An electric motor l6 which serves to drive the screw through suitable worm gearing I1 is also mounted on such shorter end of the tubular arm ID and serves as part of such counterweight.

Secured to the outer end of the longer portion of tubular arm ID as by a T coupling 20 is a flexible tube 2| of approximately the same diameter as that of said tubular arm and of such length that its lower end will approximately reach the floor or other level on which the truck I rests. It will be understood, however, that where the welding operation is to be carried on at a higher level, as on a bench or table, than the floor on which the truck rests, said flexible tube 2| may be correspondingly shortened, as by telescoping it on the depending portion of coupling 20, or otherwise.

Concentrically supported within such depending flexible tube 2| is a second flexible tube 22 through which the weld-rod or wire R is guided downwardly to the work, such weld-rod being taken from a reel 23 mounted on the post or column 5, thence carried upwardly through one or more guides 24 to a feeding mechanism 25 mounted on the upper face of the T coupling 20 which serves to connect the outer end of tubular arm ID with the depending flexible tube 2|, as described above. Such feed mechanism 25 includes a pair of feed rolls 26 and an electric motor 2'! which is adapted to drive the same through suitable gearing, not shown, since the details of the feed mechanism form no part of the present invention.

Suitably mounted in the lower end of depending flexible tube 2| are two opposed electrodes or contact members 30 between which the weld-rod or wire R passes as it emerges from the inner flexible guide tube 22. The conductor 4 which supplies the welding current is directly connected with these respective electrodes or contacts (see Fig. la) the one such electrode being transverse- 1y movable towards the other under spring pressure so as to insure proper contact with the weldrod passing therebetween. These electrodes are of course electrically insulated from both the outer flexible tube 2| and the inner guide tube 22 and the latter will itself be desirably made of non-conducting material.

There is a substantial annular space between the two tubes, and the electrodes or contacts 30 fill only a portion of such space so that a substantial segmental area is left clear on each side thereof through which granular fluxing material, discharged by screw into the upper end of the flexible tube 2|, may in turn be freely discharged onto the work adjacent the lower end of the weld-rod or wire R as it emerges. If desired, one Or the other of the openings, through which the flux is thus deposited along the seam to be welded, may be closed and such flux correspondingly deflected in relation to the weldrod. Spaced, parallel plates 3| attached to the lower end of tube 2| serve as additional means for directing the placement of the flux by preventing undue lateral spreading of the stream as it falls from the tube. Extending in the opposite direction from such lower tube end is another plate 3|a which constitutes a seam sight, i. e. assists the operator in guiding the end of the weld-rod, and thus the arc, along the seam, despite the fact such weld-rod enters the flux layer and such arc is hidden, or submerged." One, or both, of plates 3| ma be provided with an opening 3 lb, forming a peep-hole, through which the operator may more readily observe not only the height of the flux layer as it is deposited, but also the degree of submergence of the said weldrod end in such layer.

Clips 40 serve to attach the depending portion of the conductor 4 to the depending flexible tube 2| so that the former will be held closely to the latter despite any swinging or bending movement that may be imparted. To facilitate manipulation of the lower end of the flexible tube 2 I, which with the corresponding lower portion of the inner guide tube 22 and the contact members 30, constitutes the welding tool, one or more handies 32 may be provided, being adjustably clamped on such tube 2| adjacent its lower end. A box or panel 33 attached to post 5 above reel 23 carries the necessary switches for controlling motors l6 and 21, as well as certain parts of the control mechanism, now to be described, whereby operation of said motor 21 is automatically regulated to maintain the proper arc length between the lower end of weld-rod or wire R and the work.

Referring to Fig. 2 where the motor 21 which thus feeds the weld-rod or wire as well as other parts of the apparatus are wholly diagrammatically shown, the welding generator 35, it will be seen, has one lead 36 which is connected with the support S on which the work, shown as two plates which are to be welded together along juxtaposed edges, rests. The other lead 31 from generator 35, corresponding with the conductor 4 in the previously described figures, is of course connected with the contact members 30 which engage the lower end of electrode R as it is fed downwardly to the work.

A constant voltage supply line comprising leads 38 and 33 is provided, connected to a convenient external source of constant voltage, e. g. 115 v., and the field 40 of generator 35 is connected across said leads through a series rheostat 4i and a relay switch 42, the latter being controlled by means of a push button circuit generally indicated at 43. The armature of motor 21 which drives the weld-rod feed rolls 26 is connected in parallel with the are by means of leads 44 and 45, and the field winding 46 of said motor is connected across leads 3B and 39 of the external circuit or supply line. While, if desired, an adjustable rheostat may be included in the connections of such field winding, for most purposes none will be required.

A series relay switch 44a, included in lead 36, serves to control the supply of current through leads 44 and 45, and thus the actuation of weldrod feed motor 21.

Connected in series with the motor 21 and the lead 45 is a generator 41 which is one component of a conventional motor generator set, the motor 46 of which is connected across leads 49 and 50 constituting an external supply line. The field 511 of generator 41 is connected by means of leads 52 and 53 across supply lines 38 and 39, an adjustable rheostat 54 being included as shown. A relay switch 55 may also be included in the lead 45, as shown, being connected in parallel with the relay 42 in the push button circuit 43, as an alternative means to relay switch 44a for controlling the supply of current to weld-rod feed motor 27.

Still another relay switch 56 is connected in parallel with the relay 42 in the circuit controlled by push button 43, said switch 56 serving to control the supply of current to the motor l6 whereby the feed screw II for the flux is operated. This motor is connected to leads 33 and 39, a rheostat 5'] being included in the field of said motor whereby its speed may be controlled and the rate of feed of the flux thus set as desired.

The operation of my improved apparatus, both as to its mechanical components and the electrical circuits just described, will now be set forth. Assuming the work-pieces W to be set up and suitably secured to the support S and the apparatus on its support I to be located in convenient relation thereto, with the counterweighted arm I0 disposed so as to extend in the desired direction from such support I, the operator, by means of the handle on the lower end of depending flexible tube 2 l will move the welding tool, or in other words, the lower projecting end of the electrode R, into desired position to start the weld. Such movement is readily accomplished by reason of the free up and down swinging movement of which arm I0 is capable and the flexible character of the tube 2|.

Thereupon push button 43 is pressed, starting motor I6, whereby feed screw II is operated and granular fluxing material is conveyed at a predetermined rate from hopper l2 to the upper end of the flexible tube 2i. Such material will fall freely under gravity down the tube and start piling up on the work adjacent the projecting end of the weld rod. When a sufficient flux pile has been attained, the operator will then strike the arc in the usual manner.

The closing of push button circuit 43 will at the same time close relay switches 42, thus exciting generator 35 so that the arc will strike when the operator touches the work with the electrode. Also, if relay switch 55 be utilized, the circuit through leads 44 and 45 will at the same time be closed. However, it is preferred to utilize series switch 44a for the purpose, as this will result in the weld-rod feed motor starting at the instant the arc is struck. In this manner, sufficient flux may accumulate before the arc is struck or before the weld-rod starts to feed.

After the arc is struck the proper arc length will then be automatically maintained, assuming that the voltage generated .by generator 23 has been properly adjusted by varying the strength of the field 5| by means of rheostat 54. In other words, the voltage thus generated will be constant regardless of the arc voltage, the value selected bearing a predetermined relation to the value at which it is desired to maintain the arc voltage. Accordingly, the voltage applied across the terminals of the armature of motor 21 which feeds the weld-rod to the work is a resultant of the arc voltage and the voltage across said generator 41. These two voltages, being in opposition to each other, when the voltage across the arc reaches that generated by generator 41 (proper allowance being made of course for the usual voltage drop involved in equipment of this kind) there will be no voltage applied across the terminals of the armature of motor 21.

Accordingly, when relay switches 42 and 44a (or 55) are closed with the electrode out of contact with the work, the voltage across the armature of motor 2'! will be the difference between the open circuit voltage of the current generator 35 and that generated by generator 41, e. g. if such open circuit voltage is v. and that of the enerator is 30 v., then a resultant of 60 v. will be impressed across the armature of motor 21. Assuming that the'normal armature voltage of the motor 2?, defined as that at which the electrode will be fed at the rate at which it will normally be consumed, is 5 v. when the arc voltage is 35 v., the actual voltage across the motor will be equal to the algebraic sum of the arc voltage and the generator voltage, and under normal 0p-- erating condition this will be equal to the normal armature voltage.

Th motor 21! is '50 connected electrically and mechanically that under the set of conditions Just described said motor will rotate to feed the electrode R toward the work and this will continue until the electrode strikes the work at which instant the circuit voltage is of course reduced to zero. Thereupon the voltage across the armature of said motor will be 30 v. and in the opposite direction, thus causing the motor to reverse and move the weld-rod away from the work. Likewise, when the voltage across the arc becomes equal to the generator voltage, the motor will stop. n the other hand, as the weld-rod is consumed, the arc voltage will rise, become greater than the generator voltage, and the motor again operate to feed the weld-rod toward the work. Such arc voltage will continue to rise until the algebraic sum of the arc voltage and of the generator 41 equals the assumed v., i. e. the normal armature voltage of the motor 21.

If for any reason the arc voltage should increase, the voltage across the motor armature will rise above normal and the weld rod be fed more rapidly toward the work until such are voltage and the normal armature voltage return to their predetermined values. On the other hand, should the arc voltage decrease, the voltage across the motor armature will drop below normal and the electrode be fed toward the work less rapidly, or actually retracted from the work by a reversal of the motor 21, until the arc voltage and normal armature voltage return to their predetermined values.

If the arc current is increased or the type of weld-rod employed is changed so that it becomes necessary to increase the rate of electrode iced without changing the arc voltage, this may be done by decreasing the exciter voltage, thus increasing the normal motor armature voltage and in turn increasing the rate of th electrode feed. Similarly, the rate of electrode feed may be decreased for a given are voltage by increasing the generator voltage.

Where a system of control such as the foregoing is employed, all that it i necessary tor the operator of my improved apparatus to do is to move the welding tool along the line to be welded at such a rate that a layer of the granular flux material of desired depth is deposited and at the same time keep the lower projecting end of the weld-rod within such layer as it traverses the line to be welded. In other words, after the arc is struck all that he need do is to regulate the traversing movement of such weld-rod to permit deposit of a layer of such material of approximately uniform depth; the weld-rod will then be automatically fed to maintain the proper arc length irrespective of slight variations in the movement 0! the welding tool toward and from the work. The rate at which the welding operation pro ceeds is therefore primarily determined by regulation of the rate at which the flux material is supplied.

Furthermore, by pre-setting such rate of flux feed. the rate of welding may be determined or scheduled, inasmuch as the operator will be under a degree of compulsion to move the welding tool at a corresponding rate, for any given operation.

By thus depositing the flux in the form of a substantially unconfined stream flowing at a selected uniform rate, much the same client is obtained as were an hour glas used to time the progress of the welding operation, the difference being that the rate of flow of the material is subject to variation or setting to suit the conditions 8 of the particular welding lob that is to be performed.

Due to the fact that the flux is deposited in substantially unconfined or free falling condition, 1. e. there is no accumulation of a body of flux at any point beyond the end of screw conveyor ll, since whenever the welding operation is stopped by shutting off the supply of current to the weld-rod, the deposit of flux is simultaneously stopped. In other words, the amount of flux left falling in tube 2| after the welding operation is thus stopped represents the equivalent of only a small portion of the flux which enters into the deep layer or windrow during a given brief in terval.

Other modes of applying the principle or my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually, relatively moving the end of a weld-rod and the work to cause such weld-rod end to traverse the line to be welded, and simultaneously depositing granular flux material along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, by supplying such flux in a substantially unaccumulated free-falling stream flowing at a selected rate, and determining the depth oi the deposited layer of flux by the rate of such rela tive movement of weld-rod and work.

2. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually, relatively moving the end of a weld-rod and the work to cause such weld-rod end to traverse the line to be welded, and simultaneously depositing granular flux material along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, by supplyin such flux in a substantially unaccumulated free-falling stream flowing at a selected uniform rate whereby the depth of the deposited layer of flux is determined by the rate of such relative movement of weld-rod and work.

3. In a method of arc welding wherein the end of a weld-rod and the work are manually, rela tively moved to cause such weld-rod end to traverse the line to be welded, the steps which comprise depositing granular flux material along such line at a predetermined uniform rate to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, and timing the traversing movement of said weld-rod end by the depositing of a layer of flux of substantially uniform, predetermined depth.

4. In a method of arc welding wherein the end of a weld-rod and the work are manually, relatively moved to cause such weld-rod end to traverse the line to be welded, the steps which comprise supplying granular flux material along such line in a substantially unaccumulated free-falling stream flowing at a selected uniform rate to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, and regulating the traversing movement of said weldrod end to permit the deposit of a layer of flux of substantially uniform, predetermined depth.

5. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually moving the end of a weld-rod to traverse the line to be welded, simultaneously depositing granular flux material along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, and timing the traversing movement of said weldrod end by the depositing of a layer of such material of approximately uniform depth.

6. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually moving the end of a weld-rod to traverse the line to be welded, simultaneously depositing granular flux material at a selected uniform rate along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, and timing the traversing movement of said weld-rod end by the depositing of a layer of such material 01 approximately uniform depth.

7. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually moving the end of a weld-rod to traverse the line to be welded, simultaneously depositing granular flux material in the form of a stream flowing at a selected uniform rate along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod enters, and timing the traversing movement oi said weld-rod end by the depositing'oi' a layer oi such material of approximately uniform depth.

8. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually moving the end or a weld-rod to traverse the line to be welded, while automaticallyieeding said weld-rod toward the work at a rate in accordance with the voltage across the arc to maintain the arc length constant, si multaneously depositing granular flux material in unaccumulated free-falling condition along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod and enters, regulating the traversing movement of said weld-rod end by the depositing of a layer of such material of approximately uniform depth, and stopping the fall of iiux with the stopping of current to the weld-rod.

9. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise manually moving the flexibly supported and of a weld-rod to traverse the line to be welded, while automatically feeding said weldrod toward the work at a rate in accordance with the voltage across the arc to maintain the arc length constantg simultaneously depositing granular flux material in unaccumulated free-falling condition along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod end enters, regulating the traversing movement 01' said weld-rod end by the depositing of a layer 01' such material of approximately uniform depth, and stopping the fall of flux with the stopping of current to the weld-rod.

10. In a method of arc welding, the steps which comprise suspending a length of flexible weld-rod with one end free for movement in a direction, manually moving such free weld-rod end to traverse the line to be welded, while automatically feeding said weld-rod toward the work at a rate in accordance with the voltage across the arc tomaintain the arc length constant, simultaneously depositing granular flux material in unaccumulated free-falling condition along such line to form a layer wherein such weld-rod end enters, regulating the traversing movement of said stopping the tall ofilux with the stopping 01 current to the weld-rod.

EGAS K. STRINGHAM. 

